A couple who say the hotel in Turkey where they got married was so dirty that almost all of their wedding party fell ill are among 300 holidaymakers launching legal action against one of the UK's biggest holiday operators.

Paul Swannick, 30, and wife Tracy, 33, travelled with 27 friends and
family to the Holiday Village Turkey in Dalaman with First Choice in August 2008 to get married.

Just days after they arrived at the resort, however, they were struck down - along with 24 of their guests - by a severe gastric illness caused, they say, by lukewarm food, dirty cutlery and an unhygienic pool. 440 guests who've stayed at the hotel were affected, with 12 children and seven adults contracting salmonella.

Holiday hell: More than 300 tourists are taking legal action against First Choice after falling ill at the Holiday Village Turkey in Dalaman

The newlyweds became so ill that they say that their wedding day became a nightmare that now holds nothing but bad memories for them.

Mrs Swannick, from Barry in South Wales, said: 'This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life but instead it's just a horrible memory and nothing will ever make up for what we have been through.

'The wedding co-ordinator was appalling for starters, and then we fell so ill we didn't know if we would be able to go through with it at all.

'The food at the hotel was left uncovered, served lukewarm and left out for long periods of time. When they came to top up the buffet, they didn't bother emptying what was there already. Everything was dirty too. The pools, the cutlery, the glasses, the plates. It was unbearable.'

When it came to their big day, the Swannicks were so consumed with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea, they almost had to call off the wedding.

The couple say their lives have been 'turned upside down' by the episode with Mr Swannick still suffering from health issues related to the holiday.

Mrs Swannick said: 'It isn't like First Choice didn't know that there was a problem before we went. We were devastated to learn that so many people had fallen ill before us in 2008, let alone all those affected from years before, and yet we were just sent there with no warning.

'I want everyone to know exactly what they have put us and so many other people through.'

337 tourists, including 125 children, are taking legal action against First Choice and yesterday solicitors representing them lodged papers at Birmingham's High Court. A further 103 holidaymakers have already accepted compensation from the tour operator.

Lawyers Irwin Mitchell said that more than 1,200 people had contacted them to complain of falling ill at the hotel at Sarigerme since 2005, with reports of outbreaks of salmonella, campylobacter and E.coli.

The Turkish hotel is offered exclusively to British holidaymakers by First Choice, which has already paid out more than £100,000 to 34 claimants who stayed at the hotel in 2005 and 2007.

In a statement, First Choice said: 'First Choice understands that a no win, no fee law firm have filed papers with a view to initiating court proceedings regarding allegations of illness at the Holiday Village Turkey in 2008.

'Our legal team are engaged in ongoing negotiations with the law firm in order to resolve this issue amicably. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for us to make further comment on the case.'

The company added that reports of sickness at the resort in 2010 were 'minimal' among the 46,000 customers who had stayed at the resort.

'The Holiday Village Turkey continues
to be extremely popular with our guests. In the last year alone, 90% of
guests rated the accommodation as good or excellent.'

The 500-room hotel was featured on the BBC consumer programme Watchdog in 2009.